Machine for sizing tobacco-leaves.



PATENTED FEB. 12, 1907.

H. SGHUMAGHER.

MACHINE FOR SIZING TOBACCO LEAVES.v

APPLICATION FILED APR; 26, 1906;

7 BHEETS-SHEET 1.

auiantoz 4 7- haw THE NuRRls PETERS cm, wasumcrau, D c.

PATENTED FEB. 12, 1907.

H. SCHUMAGHBR. MACHINE FOR SIZING TOBACCO LEAVES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 26.1906.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ano'utoz i MW. NR0... 1W v Q. M NQ. Q\ 0% witnesses MMMMMJ@ awe cum;

THE NORRIS PETERS co., wnsmucwlv, n. c.

No.844,049 PATENTED P E'B.12,1907.

H. SGHUMAGHBH.

MACHINE FOR SIZING TOBACCO LEAVES.

APPLICATION rmm APE.26,1906.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

airman;

THE NORRIS PETERS co., wnsnmarolv, 1:. c4

PATENTBD FEB. 12, 1907.

H. SGHUMACHER. MACHINE FOR SIZING TOBACCO LEAVES.

APPLICATION TILED APB.26, 1906.

I Witnesses ms NGRRIS PEYERS ca, wasnmamu, n. c

PATENTED FEB. 12, 1907.

H. SGHUMAOHER. MACHINE FOR SIZING TOBACCO LEAVES.

APPLICATION FILED APR.26,1906.-

7 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

I aummtoz jiizry Jofiunmcez;

' 2x 4 Meson amwmug PATENTED FEB; 12, 1907.

H. SGHUMACHER. MACHINE FOR SIZING TOBACCO LEAVES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 26,1906.

7 SHBETSSHEET 6.

3 u 1.: z "to-n fi flu y awn/maiden PATENTED FEB.12, 1907.

H. SOHUMAOHER.

MACHINE FOR-SIZING TOBACCO LEAVES. APPLICATION FILED APB..26,1906.

7 SHEETSSHEET 7.

Witnesses atto mug THE NORRIS PETERS 50., WASHINGTON, n. c.v

UNITED STATES r nnr orrrcia.

HENRY SOHUMAOHER, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

MACHINE FOR SIZING TOBACCO-LEAVES.

No. 844,049. Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 26,1906. Serial No. 313,791.

chine. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation, partly in vertical section. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken on the line as a; of Fig. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of the upper part of the machine, showing the sizing-rolls in operative position and illustrating the manner in which they are mounted and supported. Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the sizing-rolls, detached. Fig. 7 is a detail sectional View, taken in a vertical plane from front to rear of the machine and illustrating the gearing by which the sizing-rolls are driven. Fig.8 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 9 is a plan view of the distributing-bin or sorting-receptacle. Fig. 10 is a sectional view of the same, taken on the line 1 y of Fig. 9 and looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 11 is a View showing the alining-table and clamping-holder in vertical section; and Fig. 12 is a detail view of the clamping-holder detached.

In the said drawings the mainframe is shown as composed of two upright side members or frames 1, connected by tie rods or bolts 2. On top of each frame member 1 there is formed or mounted a top bar 3, and to the rear end of these top bars there are hinged, as indicated at 4, the two side members 5 of the oscillating frame which carries the sizing-rolls. These rolls are indicated by the reference-numerals 6 and 7, respectively, the former being mounted in fixed bearings 8 on the oscillating frame, so as to have a fixed position with respect to said frame, while the hand as soon as it is discharged from the maother roll is movable toward and from the chine may be done away with the provision I first-mentioned roll, against which it is held of automatic means for stopping the machine with a yielding pressure when in working poand preparing the same for the reception of a I sition. These rolls are preferably provided new batch of leaves immediately upon the with a covering of a character such as to percompletion of the sizing of the preceding mit them to grip the leaves with sufficient batch; simplification of the preparing and firmness to properly feed them without infeeding of the batches of leaves to the majuring them, and I provide for this purpose a chine; various improvements in the concovering of sponge-rubber, although any struction of the sizing machine proper, other suitable material may be employed. wherebyit is rendered more simple, compact, l Adjacent to the sizing-roll 6 there is 10- and eliicient in operation, and other features l cated the feed-table 9, supported by uptobehereinafter more specifically referred to. rights 10 in the side members 5 of the oscil- To these ends my invention consists in lating frame and having a raised portion 11 certain novel features which I will now proto support the leaves, thus forming a shoul ceed to describe, and will then particularly der 12, against which the clamping-holder point out in the claims. rests when the leaves are first supplied to the I11 the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 I machine. It will be observed that the raised is an elevation of one side of a machine em portion 11 of the feed-table extends in close bodying my invention in one form. Fig. 2 proximity to and somewhat over the sizing is an elevation of the opposite side of the maroll 6, so as to properly support the leaves as Patented Feb. 12, 1907.

T0 ail whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY SCHUMAOHER, l a citizen of the United States, residing at 1 Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and l State of Ohio, have invented. certain new and l useful Improvements in Machines for Sizing Tobacco-Leaves, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to machines for sizing tobacco-leaves, and is in the nature of an improvement upon what is set forth in United States Letters Patent No. 771,941, granted to me October 11, 1904.

Briefly stated, the general object of these machines is to do away with the slow and eX pensive hand-labor now employed and pro vide an automatic mechanism which will accurately sort the leaves and deliver together at each operative cycle of the machine all of the leaves lying between two fixed limits of length.

Wore specifically, my present invention has for its object to improve upon the machine set forth in my prior Letters Patent in various respects, so as to provide a powerdriven machine, dispensing with the manual operation thereof, the machine being pracl tically automatic throughout its range of operations and requiring only to be fed and started.

Further objects of the present invention are to provide for further carrying out of the sorting of the leaves, so that the necessity of l removing each delivery of a given size by they are fed to the sizing-rolls. The sizingroll 7 is mounted in bearings 13, which are supported by means of rods 14, attached to the bearings and passing through trunnions 15, through which the rods 14 are free to slide in the direction of their length, the trunnions 15 being arranged to pivot or rock in bearings 16, formedon the free ends of the side members 5 of the oscillating frame. Each rod 14 has mounted thereon a coiled spring 17, acting at one end on the bearing 13 and at the other end on the trunnion 1.5, said springs acting to force the bearings 13 and sizing-roll 7 away from the bearings 16 and into engagement with the sizing-roll 6 or into position to engage said sizing-roll 6. A suitable stop or abutment 18 limits the outward movement of the rods 14 under the action of the springs 17, this limit of motion being such that when the roll 7 is swung down it will overlap the roll 6 somewhat when it comes into contact with the same, but only so much that when the roll 7 is moved down to its working position in horizontal aline ment with the roll 6 it will assume the posi tion shown in Fig. 5 and be held with a yielding pressure against the roll 6 by the springs 17. \Vhile this is the working position of the roll 7, I employ means for moving said roll away from its companion when released, so as to separate said rolls to permit the introduction of the leaves between them. To this end I employ C-springs 19, secured at one end to the side bar 5 of the oscillating frame, their other ends being secured to a crossbar 20, which latter is in turn fastened to arms 21, projecting from the bearings 13. When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 5, these springs 19 are in tension, so that when the roll 7 is free to rise said springs will move said roll up into the position shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, thus separating it from its companion roll 6. A handle 22 is provided by means of which the bar may be swung downward and inward to bring the roll 7 back to working position, and I also provide means for automatically locking the parts in said position. This means comprises a rockshaft 23, mounted in the bearings 10 and provided at each end with a latch 24, adapted to engage the end of the corresponding arm 21. acts upon said rock-shaft to cause the latches 24 to move into engagement, each latch being provided with a tooth 26, having a beveled upper edge and straight lower edge, as shown in Fig. 5, and the cooperating end of the arm 21 having correspondingly beveled and straight faces to effect the automatic engagement. A thumb piece or extension 27 permits the latches to be readily operated by hand when desired, although provision is made for automatically operating them at predetermined intervals, as will be hereinaf-' ter described.

A spring on the rock-shaft 23' The frame which carries the sizing-rolls l has an oscillating motion imparted to it, as

in the case of my prior patent hereinbefore referred to. The mechanism employed for this purpose is, however, a power-actuated mechanism in the present instance, thus relieving the operator of the manual labor of oscillating the frame by hand. A main driving-shaft 28 is mounted in the main frame of the machine, and on one end of said shaft there is loosely mounted a driving-pulley 29, to which motion may be imparted from any suitable source of power by a belt 30.

31 indicates a clutch, splined on the shaft 28 and adapted to be engaged with the drivingculley 29 by means of a clutch-lever 32 and foot-lever 33, so as to cause the clutch 31 and shaft 28 to revolve with the drivingpulley. On the clutch 31 there is mounted a sprocket-wheel 34, which imparts motion to a sprocketrhain 35, which latter passes around a sprocket-wheel 36, carried by a counter-shaft 37, mounted in the -main frame. It will be noted that the sprocketwheel 36 is of much greater diameter than the sprocket-wheel 34, so that the speed of the shaft 37 is much less than that of the shaft 28. The shaft 37 carries near each end a camwheel 38, and these cam-wheels cooperate with antifriction-rollers 39, mounted on the ends of the shaft 40 of the sizing-roll 6, which shaft is extended beyond its bearings 3 to receive said antifriction-rollers. The cam-wheels 38 are so constructed as to lift the oscillating frame and allow it to drop by gravity, so that the shock of its sudden stoppage will release the free leaves in the manner hereinafter described. The cam-wheels may be given any suitable construction for this purpose, the form which I prefer being that shown, in which each wheel has three cams, each having a contact-surface 41 of gradually-increasing radius to lift the frame, terminating in a shoulder or radial surface 42, which p ermits the frame to drop. In order to hold the rollers 39 in contact with the cam, I employ springs 43, which are coiled around rods 44, extending downward from the frame members 5 of the oscillating frame through the top bars 3 of the main frame. The springs 43 bear at their upper ends against the under sides of the top bars 3, while their lower ends bear against suitable abutments 45 on the rods 44. Suitable buffers 46 are provided to break the violence of the shock when the fall of the oscillating frame is raised, and the s; rings 43 act in conjunction with. these buffers to prevent ohattering or rrolonged vibration of the frame after its fall.

An intermittent movement of rotation is ini' arted to the sizing-rolls while the machine is in or oration, and to this end the roll 6 is positively driven in the manner which I will now proceed to describe, the roll 7 being fric- ICC IlO

tionally driven from the roll 6 by its contact therewith or with the intervening leaves. The counter-shaft 37 has secured thereon a pinion 47 and has also loosely hung thereon a supporting arm or frame 48, adjustably connected to the main frame by means of a clamping-bolt 49, which passes through slot 50 in the frame 48. The frame 48 carries a gear 51, which meshes with the pinion 47 and also with a gear 52, mounted on one end of a shaft 53. This shaft is sup orted in a housing 54, forming part of the frame 48, said shaft having at its other end a gear 55, which meshes with a gear 56, supported on a bracket 57, carried by the frame 48. The relative size of the pinion 47 and gear 56 is such that the speed of the counter-shaft 37, already reduced from the speed of the main driving-shaft, is still further reduced at the gear 56, the object being to impart a relatively slow movement of rotation to the sizing-rolls. The sizing-roll 6 has its shaft 40 driven from the gear 56 by means of a smaller gear or pinion 58, mounted on said shaft. The axis of rotation of the shaft or journal 59 of the gear 56 lies between the axis of rotation of the gear 58 and the pivotal axis 4 of the oscillating frame, and the construction and arrangement of the parts is such that the gear 58 remains in mesh with the gear 56 throughout the range of oscillation of the frame. The gear 58 rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow thereon, so that the side of said gear which is in mesh with the gear 56 moves upward, and this upward movement is at a rate of speed which is equal to the rate of speed of the upward movement of the oscillating frame. From this it results that during the upward movement of the frame the gear 56 moves along with the gear 58 in such a way that it is not rotated thereby, and the rolls remain stationary. During the downward movement of the oscillating frame, on the other hand, the gear 56 is traveling in a direction opposite to that in which travels the portion of the gear 58 with which it is in mesh, and it is therefore rotated thereby and imparts a movement of rotation to the rolls to an extent sufficient to feed forward the leaves the desired distance. The supporting-frame 48 serves byits adjustment to -properly position the gear 56 relatively to the gear 58 and take up any wear which may occur.

It is desirable to provide means for sepa rating out the very shortleaves, or leaves smaller than the smallest size which the ma chine is intended. to handle, before the automatic operation of the machine begins. To this end I provide means whereby the sizingrolls may be independently rotated by hand to effect the preliminary discharge of the short leaves, and I make provision whereby this manual rotation of said rolls may be effected without the necessity of actuating the train of gearing employed to drive the rolls or the other mechanisms of the machine which are in driving connection with said train. To accomplish this result, the gear 58 is loosely mounted on the shaft 40, being secured to a sleeve 60, which is free to rotate on said. s ft. It maybe noted incidentallythat the ant "riction-roller 39 is loosely mounted on the sleeve 60. Said sleeve 60 has secured to its outer end a disk 61, beyond which the shaft 40 is extended, andl as secured thereto an operating crank-aim 62, provided with a crank-handle 63. This crank-handle has I mounted therein a spting-actuated lockingpin 64, provided at its outer end with an operatinghead 65, while its inner end is adapted to engage a recess 66 in the disk 61. It will be seen that when the pin 64 is in engagement with the disk 61, which latter constitutes a locking member rotating in unison with the gear 58, the gear 58 is locked to the shaft 40, so that said. shaft and tile roll 6 rotate in unison with the gear 58, andthe sizingrolls are thus positively driven during the automatic operation of the machine. The roll may be disconnected from. its driving mechanism, however, by withdrawing the I pin 64 from engagement with the disk 61, whereupon said roll may be turned by hand I by means of its cperatingcrank 62 without affecting the driving-train. f After the batch of leaves has been introduced between the sizing-rolls and fed down- I ward by the same, so as to hangdown susf pended below said rolls, 1t 1s desirable that i the suspended leaves or portions of leaves should be freed or disentangled from each I other. This arises from the fact that when a leaf has passed entirely clear of the rolls it should be free to drop and be discharged by gravity, aided by the shock of the fall of the frame. To loosen and insure the freedom of the individual leaves, I provide an agitator, which keeps in movement the depending portion of the batch of leaves. This compiises a shaft 67, mounted in suitable bearings n "he main frame and provided with blades 68, extending longitudinally of the shaft and supported therefrom by means of suitable hubs'or spiders 69. These blades are preferably given. the undulating or corrugated edges shown. The agitator is located immediately below the sizing-rolls and slighly to one side of their plane of meeting, so as to strike and separate the leaves, the corrugated edges of the blades moving them laterally to more effectually separate them, and they are thus prevented from. adhering to each other or being held by mutual engagement to such an extent as to prevent their discharge'when free from the rolls. A rapid rotary motion is imparted to the agitator l by means of a driving-belt 70, which passes around a pulley71 on the shaft 67 and around l another pulley 72 on a shaft 73, mounted l l l l l l r l j l l I I ICC ITS

in a suitable bearing in one of the frame members 1. The shaft 73 has at its outer end an external friction-gear 74, which meshes with an internal friction gear 75, formed by the interior of the rim of the driv ing-pulley 29.

Below the sizing-rolls and agitator the machine is provided with an inclined receiving-plate 76, which extends downward and forward in a curve gradually tending from the vertical to the horizontal and ter1rinating in a stop 77, as in my prior letters Patent hereinbefore referred to. This receivingplate acts, as in my prior Letters Patent, to gradually arrest the descent of the leaves as they slide down the same with their buttends foremost, arresting them in alined position at the bottom of said receiving-plate. In the machine set forth in my prior Letters Patent no provision was made for the automatic removal of the leaves from this receiving-plate, and it required the services of an attendant to remove all the leaves discharged thereon after each oscillation of the roll-carrying frame. I provide automatic mechanism by means of which the leaves of one size discharged at each oscillation of the said frame are at once removed from the receiving-plate, and I further provide a distributing receptacle or bin, having aplurality of compartments, one for each size of leaf, which compartments are successively presented to receive the leaves for which they are intended as said leaves are automatically discharged from the receiving-plate.

Referring first to the mechanism. whereby the leaves are discharged from the receivingplate, the same comprises a sweeping conveyer composed of two parallel endless chains or belts 78, preferably 'sprocketchains, passing around driving-wheels 79 at one side of the machine and idle wheels 80 at the other side of the machine. T hese chains support sweeps 81, one or more in number, two being shown in the present instance. These sweeps are supported transversely on the chains and are so shaped as to fit and sweep across the lower end of the receivingplate 76 while traveling across the same in one direction. This sweeping movement occurs immediately after the leaves are discharged by the fall of the oscillating frame, and the leaves are thus swept off the receiving-plate and discharged at one end thereof. This sweeping-conveyer is driven from a shaft 82, on which the driving sprocketwheels 79 are mounted, said shaft being eX- tended rearward. through a bearingleeve 83 on the main frame, its rear end being provided with a bevel-gear 84, which meshes with a bevel-gear 85 on the driving-shaft 28.

The groups of leaves of similar size are discharged into a receiving-bin or distributingreceptacle 86, comprising a plurality of compartments 87, corresponding in number with the number of sizes of leaves which the machine is adapted to handle-in the present instance thirteen. This bin or receptacle rotates so as to bring the compartments successively under the discharge end of the receiving-plate and is constructed in any suitable manner to that end. As shown, it comprises an annular metal base 88, to which are attached the upright radial partitions 89, which define the compartments 87. This metal base is supported from a central hub 90, preferably of wood, by means of radial strips or arms 91. The central hub is secured to a shaft 92, mounted in a suitable support 93 and carrying a sprocket-wheel 94, around which passes a sprocket-chain 95. This chain also passes around a sprocketwheel 96 on the lower end of an upright shaft 97, provided at its upper end with a bevel-gear 98, which meshes with a bevelpinion 99 on the countenshaft 37. The arrangement of the gearing is such that the proper compartment 87 comes underneath the discharge end of the receiving-plate 76 just as the sweep 81 discharges the leaves destined for that compartment from the said receiving-plate.

Since it is desirable that when one batch of leaves has been sized and distributed the mo tion of the machine should be stopped to permit the introduction of another batch, I utilize the rotating receptacle 86 for that purpose. To this end said receptacle is provided with a tripping projection 100, in the ath of which lies a trip-arm 101 on the end of a rock-shaft 102, on which the foot-lever 33 is secured. Then the operation of sizing is completed, the projection 100, coming into contac t' with the trip-arm 101, tilts the rockshaft 102 and foot-lever 33 and, through the clutch -lever 32, disconnects the drivingshaft 28 from the driving-pulley 29, thus stopping the machine. It will be noted in this connection. that the foot-lever 33 is a double lever of the tilting type, so that the operator may readily start the machine by pressing down on the end thereof which is elevated when the machine is stopped and may as readily stop the machine when running by pressing down on the part which is then. elevated. Immediately before the stop ,rojection acts to stop the machine a cam 103 on the gear 56 comes into contact with a pin 104 on an arm 105, projecting downward from the rock-shaft 23, which carries the latches 24. This cam so operates said rockshaft as to release the latches from their engagement with the arms 21 and permit the springs 19 to throw the sizing-roll 7 upward. and forward away from the companion roll 6. This occurs just before the automatic stoppage of the machine or simultaneously therewith, leaving the machine stationary and in condition to receive another batch of leaves. The leaves are prepared in batches for the machine by arranging them in substantial parallelism with their butt-ends alined and holding them in this arrangement until they are delivered to the sizingrolls. This arranging of the leaves is accomplished by means of a separate sizing-table 106, having projecting above its surface an alining-stop 107, against which the butt-ends of the leaves are alined. The table has a groove or recess 108 formed therein at a suitable distance from the alining-stop to receive the lower member or bar 109 of the clampingholder, over which the leaves may thus be readily placed. After the leaves have been alined and arranged parallel with each other on the table they are gripped between the lower clamping-bar 109 and the upper clamping-bar 110 of the clamping-holder, and the clamping-holder may then be removed from the table and carried to the sizing-machine, holding the leaves in position to be operated on by said machine.

I will now proceed to describe the general operation of the machine. The lower clamping-bar of a clamping-holder is placed in position in the slot or recess 108 of the table 106, and a suflicient number of tobaccoleaves are then placed in position on the ta ble with their bodies in substantial parallelismand extending over the clamping-bar 109, while their butt-ends are brought into contact with the alining-stop 107. The other clamping-bar 110 is then brought up against the clamping-bar 109 and secured thereto so as to firmly hold the leaves. It should be noted that the distance from the slot 108 to the stop 107 Of the table 106 is at least equal to the distance from the shoulder 12 to the point of contact of the sizing-rolls 6 and 7, measured over the top of the feedtable. The machine being stopped and with the sizing-rolls separated, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the batch of leaves held by the clamping-holder is placed on the feedtable with the clamping-holder against the shoulder 12,

the butt-ends of the leaves extending forward from said clamping-holder, so as to lap over and rest on the roll 6. The roll 7 is then brought down into engagement with the roll 6 and is automatically locked in such engagemcnt by the latches 24, so that the butt-ends of the leaves are gripped between the sizing-rolls. The locking-pin 64 is then drawn outward to disengage it from the disk 61, and the sizing-rolls are turned by hand by means of the crank 62, so as to discharge all of the short and undersized leaves. This dispenses with the necessity of sorting out these smaller leaves by hand and insures regularity of size of the first leaves delivered from the machine to the sorting-receptacle. The locking-pin 64 is then again engaged with the disk 61, thereby connecting the sizing-rolls with their driving-train, and the machine is started by the operator, who depresses with his foot the elevated end. of the foot-lever 33. The oscillating frame thereupon moves upward, being elevated by the cam-wheels 38, and then falls by gravity, its stoppage being abrupt, so as to insure the discharge of the free leaves. During the fall of the oscillating frame the sizing-rolls have rotated a distance sufficient to feed the leaves forward an extent equal to the distance between the limits ofthe first batch of leaves to be sized. For instance, assuming that the first batch of leaves is to include all leaves between seven and eight inches only, all of the shorter leaves having been fed out by hand in the manner already described, so that the buttends of all of the leaves which are held between the sizing-rollers are at least seven inches below the point where said sizing-rolls grip the leaves, said rolls will be rotated during the fall of the oscillating frame to an extent sufficient to feed the leaves forward one inch. By this operation all of the leaves under eight inches will have passed clear of the rolls and will be free therefrom. During all this time the agitator has acted upon the de pending leaves to keep them free and separate from each other, so that when the leaves are no longer held by the sizing-rolls they are sure to fall when the oscillating frame drops, dropping downward with their butt-ends foremost onto the receiving-plate 76. Since the butt-ends are heaviest, the leaves continue to slide down the receiving plate 1n this same gradually checked by the frictional resistance of the plate and the decreasing steepness of the incline which the curvature of the plate presents. When the motion of the leaves is finally arrested at the bottom of said plate by the contact of the butt-ends of the leaves with the stop 77, the leaves come to rest in a position parallel with each other and with their butt-ends alined. Thereupon one of the sweeps 81 travels across the lower portion of the receiving-plate and sweeps the leaves therefrom, gathering them up into a' bundle as it proceeds. In the meanwhile the sorting-receptacle has moved to a position such that the first one of the compartments 87 thereof, designed to receive the shortest leaves to be sized, lies under the discharge end of the receiving-plate, and into this compartment the first bundle of sized leaves falls. The same cycle of operations is then again performed, the leaves discharged at the next fall of the oscillating frame comprising all of the leaves between eight and nine inches, for instance, and this second bundle of sized leaves is discharged into the second compartment of the sizing-receptacle. This series of operations continues in the case of the machine illustrated thirteen times, until the longest leaves, which are the last to pass through the sizing-rolls, have been discharged into the last compartment of the sort position, their speed being IIO ing-Teoeptacle. Just as this occurs the cam 103 trips the latches 24, and the roll 7 is moved away from the roll 6 by the springs 19, leaving said rolls separated to receive between them the butt-ends of the next batch of leaves. Thereupon the projection 100 comes into contact with the trip-arm 101 and throwing the foot-lever 33 over stops the machine by disconnecting the clutch 31 from the driving-pulley 29. It will be understood, of course, that as soon as the first batch of leaves is placed in position on the feed-table and properly engaged with the sizing-rolls the said leaves are released from the clamping-holder, whichlatter may be then or subsequently removed. Ordinarily when the clamping-bars are separable, as in the construction shown, the upper bar is removed at once, the lower bar being removed after the leaves have passed clear of it. It will also be understood that a plurality of clamping-holders are employed, so that a fresh batch of leaves may be alined and gripped in a second clamping-holder while the first batch is being run through the machine. As soon as the first batch has been handled and the machine has automatically stopped and separated its rolls the second batch isplaced upon the machine in the same manner as the first, and this second batch is then run through the machine in the same Way as the first. Since the sorting-recon tacle always starts from the same relative position, leaves of the same size will always be discharged into the same compartment, and thus any number of batches of leaves up to the capacity of the compartments of the sorting-receptacle may be continuously sized and sorted.

It will be seen that the machine is practically automatic in its operation, being, in fact, .entirely automatic after it has been fed with a batch of leaves and its operation started. The machine is capable of operating upon a very great number of leaves at one and the same time, the number depending upon the length of the sizing-rolls, and the operation of sizing these leaves is rapidly and accurately performed, not depending upon the accuracy or training of the operator, so that unskilled labor may be employed. In the present machine the si'zingrolls are powerdriven instead of being manually operated, as in the machine of my prior patent, and the only attention required of the operator is the feeding of the machine by supplying it with a fresh batch of leaves at intervals and the starting of it by means of the controlling footlever. Furthermore, I dispense with the necessity of passing the clamping-holder between the rolls before engaging the batch between the rolls, and since the clamping holder leaves the butt-ends of the leaves free these latter may be engaged directly be tween the rolls in the manner described. No

l l l l l attendant is required to remove the leaves discharged at each movement of the oscillating frame, as in my prior machine, and the machine may be operated continuously until the compartments of the sorting-receptacle are fille d. When this latter is the case, and earlier if deemed desirable, the sized and sorted leaves may be removed from the compartments to suitable storage-receptacles, or they may be otherwise disposed of.

I Wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of con struction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A machine for sizing tobacco-leaves comprising a main frame, a frame movable relatively to said main frame, sizing-rolls mounted in said movable frame, powerdriven mechanism for intermittently rotating said sizing-rolls, and mechanism similarly driven for lifting and dropping said movable frame, substantially as described.

2. A machine for sizing tobacco-leaves, comprisinga main frame, a movable frame pivoted thereon, and sizing-rolls mounted in said movable frame, in combination with a shaft mounted in the main frame and provided with cam-wheels for lifting and drop ping the movable frame at intervals, and gearing connecting said shaft and one of the sizing-rolls to impart an intermittent rotary motion to said rolls, substantially as described.

A machine for sizing tobacco-leaves comprising a main frame, an oscillating frame pivoted thereon, and sizing-rolls mounted in said oscillating frame and provided with a driving-gear, in combination with a driving-gear mounted on the main frame between the roll-driving gear and the pivotal axis of the oscillating frame, said gears being in constant mesh, substantially as described.

4. A machine for sizing tobacco-leaves comprising a main frame, an oscillating frame pivoted thereon, and sizing-rolls mounted in said oscillating frame and pro vided with. a driving-gear, in combination with a driving-gear mounted on the main frame between the roll-driving gear and the pivotal axis of the oscillating frame, said gears being in constant mesh, said mainframe-driving gear being rotated with a speed and in a direction such that the rolls are rotated. during their downward movement only, substantially as described.

5. In a machine for sizing tobaccoleaves, a frame, and two sizing-rolls mounted thereon, one in fixed relation thereto, the other movable toward and from its companion roll, in combination with a feed-table carried by through said trunnions, springs for forcing said frame, said feed-table and the movable roll being located on opposite sides of the fixed roll, substantially as described.

6. In a machine for sizing tobacco-leaves, the combination, with sizing-rolls, of a feedtable located at one side of said sizing-rolls and provided with an elevated portion extending over one of said rolls and forming a shoulder for positioning the leaf-clamping holder, substantially as described.

7. In a machine for sizing tobacco-leaves, a frame, in combination withtwo sizing-rolls supported thereon, one of said rolls being supported in fixed position relatively to said frame, the other roll being movable toward and from said fixed roll, springs acting to separate said rolls, and means for holding said movable roll against the action of said springs, substantially as described.

8. In a machine for sizing tobacco-leaves,

a frame, in combination with two sizing-rolls, one roll having a fixed position relatively to said frame, the other roll being movable, toward and from the fixed roll, springs acting to separate said rolls, and a releasable latching mechanism for holding the movable roll. in working position against the action of said springs, substantially as described.

9. In a machine for sizing tobacco-leaves, a frame, in combination with sizing-rolls mounted thereon, one of them having a fixed position relatively to said frame, the other being movable toward and from the fixed roll, springs actin to press said rolls into yielding engagement with each other, other springs acting to separate said rolls, and means for holding said rolls in engagement against the action of said separating-springs,

substantially as described.

1.0. In a machine for sizing tobacco-leaves, a frame, and a sizing-roll mounted in fixed position thereon, in combination with a movable sizing-roll, a frame in which said mov able sizing-roll is mounted, said last-mentioned frame being pivotally connected to the first-mentioned frame so as to swing the y movable roll toward and from the fixed roll, 1 and having also a sliding connection there- 1 with, springs acting to slide the movable l roll and its frame toward the fixed roll, other l springs acting to swing the movable roll and l its frame away from the fixed roll, and means I for holding said movable-roll frame in position with the two rolls in contact, substantially as described.

1 1. In a machine for sizing tobacco leaves, a frame, and a sizing-roll mounted in fixed position thereon, said frame having trunnions pivoted therein, in combination with a movable roll provided with bearings, rods carried by said bearings and sliding transversely the movable roll and its bearings outward from said. trunnions, other springs acting to l swing the movable roll and its bearings on said trunnions away from the fixed roll, and means for holding said movable roll and its bearings against the action of the last-mentioned springs, substantially as described.

12. In a machine for sizing tobacco-leaves, a frame having a sizing-roll mounted in fixed position thereon, in combination with a movable sizing-roll, and a frame therefor comprising a cross-bar having bearings for the movable roll, C-springs connecting said crossbar with the frame of the fixed roll, said lastmentioned frame having trunnions pivoted therein, rods forming part of the movableroll frame sliding transversely through said trunnions, and springs mounted on said rods and acting to move the movable roll outward from the trunnions, substantially as described. 1 i

13. In a machine for sizing tobacco-leaves, sizing-rolls and their shafts, a gear-train for driving said rolls, the last gear of said train being loosely mounted on one of the rollshafts, a locking member rotating with said gear, a hand-crank secured to said. roll-shaft, and a locking-pin for connecting and disconnecting said hand-crank and locking member, substantially as described.

14. In a machine for sizing tobacco-leaves, a main frame, an oscillating frame pivoted thereto at one of its ends, and sizing-rolls mounted on said oscillating frame and provided with a gear, in combination with a shaft mounted on the main frame and provided with a driving-pinion, a gear-supporting frame pivoted on said shaft and adjustably connected. with the main frame, and a train of gears supported on said gear-supporting frame and driven from said pinion, the last gear of said train being located between the roll-gear and the pivot of the oscillating frame, so as to remain in mesh with said rollgear, substantially as described.

15. In a machine for sizing tobacco-leaves, sizing-rolls between which the leaves are fed, in combination with an agitator arranged below said rolls and comprising a rotatable shaft provided with projections acting on the leaves depending therefrom to separate and free the same, substantially as described.

16. In a machine for sizing tobacco-leaves, sizing-rolls, means for rotating said rolls, a movable frame in which said rolls are mounted, means for lifting and dropping said frame at regular intervals to discharge the leaves which have passed free of the rolls, and an agitator arranged below said rolls and operating on the leaves to separate and free the same from each other to insure their discharge, substantially as described.

17. In a machine for sizing tobacco-leaves, sizing-rolls, in combination with an agitator located below said rolls at one side of the path of the leaves and comprising a shaft driven IIC at a high speed and provided with blades having uneven edges, substantially as described.

18. In a machine for sizing tobacco-leaves, the combination, with sizing devices for discharging the leaves in batches of similar size, of an inclined receiving-plate located below said sizing devices to receive the leaves as they fall therefrom, said. plate being provided with a terminal stop to arrest and aline the leaves, for which the lower portion of said plate constitutes a receptacle, and mechan ical means for removing the leaves from said. receptacle after the discharge of each batch, substantially as described.

19. In a machine for sizing tobacco-leaves, the combination, with. sizing devices for discharging the leaves in batches of similar size, of an inclined receiving-plate located below said sizing devices to receive the leaves as they fall therefrom, said plate being provided with a terminal stop to arrest and aline the leaves, for which the lower portion of said plate constitutes a receptacle, and a sweep moving transversely across said receptacle to remove the leaves therefrom after each operation of the sizing devices, substantially as described.

20. In a machine for sizing tobacco-leaves, the combination, with sizing devices for discharging the leaves in batches of similar size, of an inclined receiving-plate located below said sizing devices to receive the leaves as they fall therefrom, said plate being provided with a terminal stop to arrest and aline the leaves, for which. the lower portion of said plate constitutes a receptacle, and an endless sweeping conveyer located above said receptacle and provided with sweeps adapted to fit said receptacle and remove the leaves therefrom, substantially as described.

21. A machine for sizing and distributing tobacco-leaves, comprising sizing mechanism for discharging the leaves in batches of successive sizes, a distributing-receptacle provided with compartments corresponding with said sizes, and means for moving said receptacle in unison with the sizing mechanism to successively present its compartments at the point of discharge of the leaves from the sizing mechanism, substantially as described.

22. A machine for sizing and distributing tobacco-leaves, comprising sizing devices for discharging the leaves in batches of successive sizes, an inclined receivingplate located below said sizing devices and having a troughlike receptacle for the batches of leaves thus discharged, a distributingreceptacle provided with compartments corresponding with the sizes of the batches delivered by the sizing devices, means for moving said distributing-receptacle in unison with the sizing devices to successively present its compartments at one end of the receiving-plate trough, and a sweep working across said receiving plate after the discharge of each batch of leaves from the sizing devices to sweep said batch of leaves into the corresponding compartment of the distributing receptacle, substantially as described.

23. In a machine for sizing and distributing tobacco-leaves, sizing-rolls acting to discharge the leaves in batches of successive sizes, a rotatory distributing-receptacle having compartments corresponding with said sizes, and power-driven mechanism for actuating said rolls and distributing-receptacle in unison, substantially as described.

24. In a machine for sizing and distributing tobacco-leaves, sizing-rolls acting to discharge the leaves in batches of successive sizes, a rotatory receptacle having compartments corresponding with said sizes, and power-driven mechanism for actuating said rolls and distributing-receptacle in unison, in combination with means for disconnecting said rolls from their driving mechanism and for manually operating them when so disconnected, substantially as described.

25. A machine for sizing and distributing tob acco-leaves, comprising sizing mechanism for discharging the leaves in batches of successive sizes, a rotatory distributing-receptacle having an annular series of compartments corresponding with the said sizes, and

-means for rotating said receptacle in unison with the sizing mechanism to successively present its compartments at'the point of discharge of the leaves from the sizing mechanism, substantially as described.

26. A machine for sizing and distributing tobacco-leaves, comprising sizing mechanism for discharging the leaves in batches of successive sizes, a distributing-receptacle provided with compartments corresponding with said sizes, means for moving said receptacle in unison with the sizing mechanism to successively present its compartments at the point of discharge of the leaves from the sizing mechanism, and means for automatically stopping the movement of said parts after a predetermined number of batches of leaves have been discharged, substantially as described.

27. A machine for sizing and distributing tob acco-leaves, comprising sizing mechanism for discharging the leaves in batches of successive sizes, a distributing-receptacle provided with compartments corresponding with said sizes, means for moving said receptacle in unison with. the sizing mechanism to successively present its compartments at the point of discharge of the leaves from the sizing mechanism, and means for automatically stopping the movement of said parts after all of said compartments have been so presented, substantially as described. a

28. A machine for sizing and distributing I tobacco-leaves, comprising sizing mechanism for discharging the leaves in batches of successive sizes, said sizing mechanism comprising sizing-rolls between which the leaves are passed, a distributingreceptacle provided with a plurality of compartments for the sev- 1 eral sizes of leaves, means for moving said receptacle in unison with the sizing mechanism to successively present its compartments at the point of discharge of the leaves from the sizing mechanism, and means for automatically separating the sizing-rolls and stopping the machine after a predetermined number of batches of leaves have been delivered, substantially as described.

29. A power-driven machine for sizing and distributing tobacco-leaves, comprising sizing mechanism and a rotatory distributingreceptacle, the latter provided with a tripping projection, a clutch controlling the driving connections of said parts, a tilting double foot-lever controlling said clutch, and a rock-shaft on which said foot-lever is mounted, said rock-shaft having a trip-arm arranged in the path of the tripping projection of the distributing-receptacle, substan tially as described.

30. In a machine for sizing tobacco-leaves, sizing-rolls between which the leaves are l passed, said rolls being in proximity when in operation, and means for automatically separating said rolls after a definite operative period, substantially as described.

31. In a machine for sizing tobacco-leaves, sizing-rolls between which the leaves are passed, said rolls being in proximity when in operative position, springs acting to separate said rolls, latches for holding said rolls against separation, and a gear for driving said rolls, said gear being provided with a cam which operates to trip said latches and permit the springs to separate the rolls after a definite operative period, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY SCHUMAOHER.

Witnesses EDWIN COLEMAN, CHARLIE BAKER. 

